Mishmash
by Sapfarah
Summary: A what-if scenario about the conclusion of Tekken3.


Mishmash -- by Sapfarah ( sapfarah@geocities.com )  
  
Just as the title says, nothing more...  
Everyone, I know you will probably disagree with the matches you'll see in  
this one but please understand that these just came into my mind. I hope I  
gave sufficient reasons on why these couples could and should be.  
  
I decided to put this into work after discussing this on Kazuya's message   
board. Although the entire inspiration is ALL mine, I still would like to   
thank a few people who gave me the impulse.  
These are Klael, for sharing my debates and the passion, Jun Kazama 23 for   
the tea and the sushi, Cherry Gale and 2cool who is out of sight lately but,   
pal, I owe you a GREAT big one.  
  
= = = = = = = = = =  
  
At eleven thirty the night out was over for Kazuya and Nina but  
returning home didn't necessarily mean getting to sleep. Nina walked in the  
door first, not hurrying at all. Kazuya shut the door behind her and moved  
towards her, circling his hands around her, over her furcoat, one more of  
his gifts to her. Nina smiled receiving him, as he pressed his lips on her  
cheek, close to her beautifully done hair.  
"So how did you like the opera?" he downy asked.  
"I loved it..."  
"Then maybe we should repeat it sometime again, ne?"  
Nina laughed in her deep throaty manner.  
"So how about going upstairs to make some more music of our own?"  
Nina leaned back to rest on his shoulder and sighed in pleasure.  
"Do I take this as a yes?" he laughed close unto her.  
The intimacy was interrupted by hurried footsteps pounding on the  
staircase. They were turning in but Jin was trim and going out. Once he saw  
them however he stopped somewhat puzzled.  
"Eh, hey... I, ah... I'm going to meet some friends... kay?"  
"Sure," Kazuya said. "There's something you want?"  
"No, that's okay, Jin assured. "You guys have fun, right?" he smiled  
on his way out.  
"Goodnight, Jin," Nina said.  
Jin left the house and they were by themselves again.  
"Great boy..." Nina said to him.  
"Yeah..."  
"He is a lot like you..."  
Kazuya pressed down his brows.  
"In what way?"  
"Oh, you're horrible... he is your son after all!"  
"Yes, certainly..."  
They looked into each other for a while, thinking. They were both  
aware how Jin was still traumatised from his mother's death five years ago  
due to Toshin. He had defeated the War God but he found no consolation in  
his victory. Then there were other issues, like reuniting with his father,  
a man he hardly knew and that Nina, the assassin lead by Toshin was his  
father's girlfriend...  
"He must really hate me... for being with you..." Nina said.  
"Oh, not at all... He likes you actually..."  
Nina sighed tiredly looking at him.  
"We've talked over this before... Nina... he's hurt but he  
understands... I too miss Jun... I wish I had been there when I should...  
but life goes on."  
Nina looked down for a little.  
"You're right..."  
Kazuya stroke his fingers on Nina's face. Nina looked back at him.  
"The night's still young..." she said in a faint smile.  
Kazuya lifted his brows in that way Nina called very much vampiric.  
She smiled at him and took him by the hand. Kazuya followed her and moved  
on to embrace her, walking together to their room.  
  
"Yo, Jin!"  
Jin pulled over at the side of the road, where Hwoarang stood,  
waiting. Julia was seated on the back of his bike, looking good and happy.  
"How is it, buddy?" Jin asked, taking off his gloves.  
"You're late!"  
Jin smiled his own charming way.  
"We're all inside, come with me!" Hwoarang ordered and they followed  
him.  
  
It was Hwoarang's girlfriend party and it was quite crammed. Julia  
went to greet Xiaoyu, who looked neat dressed smartly, her hair in a  
feminine fashion and with a touch of makeup. Hwoarang introduced Jin to his  
girlfriend, them too talked about things, then they parted so each could  
find his girl and dance.  
A little later, Jin was in the back yard, with Julia, talking. They  
were sitting on the porch, gazing into the night.  
"Hwoarang's girl is nice..." Julia said.  
"Yea she is... So are you, Julia..."  
Julia smiled at him. She found him especially attractive when he  
looked at her in this calm way of his and she just kept staring. Jin said  
nothing, only after a while, he took his eyes off her.  
"Nina was again at home..." he said.  
"Oh..." Julia said understanding.  
"No, that's okay... I mean father too wants some company..."  
Julia put her arm around his shoulders.  
"I think I know how you're feeling, Jin... I don't blame you for  
it..."  
"Yeah... maybe... I guess he cannot be a monk and live with mother's  
memory all of his life..."  
"I'm sure your mother wouldn't want that either," Julia smiled at him.  
"Yea, whatever... we're not gonna spend the night talking over them,  
are we?"  
"Okay," Julia smiled and moved closer to Jin. He smiled turning her  
way and embraced her around the waist. She moved towards him, tying her  
arms around him and they kissed.  
"Hey Julia..."  
"Mmmm..."  
"It's a Sunday tomorrow... come by my house before noon and we can go  
together for a walk... how's that?"  
"Kay," Julia smiled. And they kissed again.  
  
Nina slipped a silk robe around her and made it barefoot for the  
kitchen. Kazuya was gone already - he always woke up early. Nina suspected  
he didn't even sleep at all but that was his own business.  
As she walked towards the kitchen for something to eat, she heard  
shouting from the private dojo. There was an early morning spar again.  
Kazuya and Jin working out together...  
Nina had watched them sparring very often and admired them both at  
that. Kazuya was always the fighting machine she knew but Jin had developed  
to being quite a formidable fighter. Watching them fight was a splendid  
show and when they started making those lightning tricks...  
She walked into the dojo and found indeed a fight in progress. Both of  
them fought with strength and matching skill but it was easy for her to  
tell that Kazuya was pushing Jin to his limits. He wasn't gifting on his  
intend either. He wanted to bring the best fighter out of Jin.  
Nina leaned against the door watching, awaiting for the fight to  
finish, so they would take notice of her. She took a moment to fathom that,  
unlike his own father, Kazuya was a wonderful teacher. He fought Jin as  
equal, as someone he considered a worthy opponent and not once did he  
humiliate him... That was one of the qualities she admired especially in  
him. He wasn't a blindly cruel parent, proving that whatever he'd been  
through, he was strong enough to process and overcome. He continued his   
life. A survivor...  
Then again, of what she knew, Heihachi hadn't been cruel to Jin  
either... perhaps it had to do with the boy... his being alone urged to be  
treated with kindness, his respect and even affection was something worth  
fighting to gain. Kazuya loved his son. He needed to be loved by him, a  
sentiment he hadn't experienced. Even Heihachi must have felt this way for  
the boy... and how couldn't he? Even she...  
Three generations of Mishimas and she was sent to assassinate them  
all... She never made it and now she believed it was for the best. Now it  
was all in the past, a good time for a fresh start. She had missed twenty  
years of her life and now she wanted them back, badly.  
She met Kazuya when she got her memory back. She thought she ought to  
hate him for what he did to her twenty years ago, only she didn't wish for  
it. She had been after his throat and all he did was protect himself  
against her. She would have done the same and besides, she had been  
sleeping all this time. He hadn't been much better all these years, trapped  
in Hell, a spirit lost in forgetfulness. When Toshin caused that cosmic  
chaos, he took the chance to escape and return to the world. The Iron Fist  
ended and he came back. Heihachi wasn't a big obstacle, he took him out of  
the picture easily and was again the President of the Mishima Financial  
Empire... that's when they met.  
She was mostly surprised to see him and sceptical, definitely. But  
they were for each other a link to what they knew. They talked and realised  
that they had both given up on the past and wanted to start anew. They  
began speaking more often. He was of her social class, he was a pleasant  
company... They had dinner, one evening as he drove her home they kissed  
and instead she woke up in his home. That's how it started.  
Unlike Kazuya, it was more difficult for Jin to accept her. When he  
saw her, he registered a face of worry, until Kazuya told him she was a  
friend. Jin was a smart boy, he knew what sort of friend his father meant.  
Nina felt awkward thinking that he probably blamed her for taking the place  
he only held for his mother next to his father, but he didn't behave with  
hostility towards her. However he avoided her, that was for sure. And  
strangely, exactly for that Nina liked Jin very much... She shuddered to  
think she might have killed him back then... he was such a nice boy... and  
watching him was overwhelming. His looks touched perfection, if not  
surpassing it. His eyes had a warm brown colour she could drown into and  
his half parted lips...  
Nina didn't stop herself from admiring Jin as he fought. He was almost  
the same size as his father but, unlike him who had the perfect  
construction of an athlete, firmness and not an ounce of fat, Jin had  
margins for softer pulp in his fine body. His skin looked somewhat softer,  
urging to be touched...  
Nina shook her head to get these thoughts out of her mind. Kazuya had  
anticipated Jin's roundhouse and slipped low to a blustering uppercut,  
sending Jin in the air in a shower of sparks. The youth however was  
stronger than that and made it up to his feet almost instantly.  
Jin managed to sidestep an axe kick and hit his father with a strong  
uppercut, a move that had saved his life during his fight against Toshin.  
Nina's possessed mind had witnessed every instant of that battle.  
Consecutively Jin submitted Kazuya on his knees by tripping his shin and  
continued to turn around for a backfist which was blocked. Nina drew a fast  
breath at seeing Kazuya getting very fast on his feet and turning Jin's arm  
so he was forced to kneel. She noticed the face of pain in Jin and then saw  
Kazuya clamp his fist and throwing the punch on Jin's back. He hit between  
the shoulders, where no vital damage would be caused but the blow was still  
heard aloud and Jin coughed violently.  
"On your feet..." Kazuya ordered, releasing Jin and taking a step  
back.  
Jin leaped on his feet and in a fighting stance.  
"Hey..." Nina interrupted. "Be nice on Jin. Or... I'll have to take  
you down."  
Kazuya turned at her with a nasty smirk.  
"You can always try..."  
"Hey, I'm here too!" Jin said as he snapped a middle kick that   
playfully tapped Kazuya on the ribs, who smiled. Nina noticed that Jin  
had avoided to even acknowledge having seen her.  
"Must end here, son..." Kazuya said. Nina knew there was a face of  
satisfaction on Kazuya. "Yamei."  
Easing they stood facing each other and then they bowed in a mutual  
act of respect then shook hands.  
Nina smiled as they walked towards the door. Kazuya put his hand on  
Jin's back.  
"You have trained well, Jin," he said. Jin kept his eyes humbly down.  
"I'll train more..."  
"You'd better!" Kazuya said and the same hand which held Jin snapped a  
backfist at Jin's face. Jin wasn't fast to avoid completely but he took a  
step back and looked surprised at his father.  
"You never know where it'll come from... always be ready..."  
Nina smiled to herself and right as Kazuya went past her, she grabbed  
his arm and rotated it, following the motion, getting behind his back. She  
had him bent over his feet.  
"Same to you, Mishima-sama..." she hissed.  
Kazuya laughed and bent his elbow escaping the lock. He stood before  
her and pointed a finger at her nose.  
"I'll deal with you later."  
"Go wash yourself!" Nina said as he bent and kissed her neck.  
Kazuya left for the showers and Nina noticed Jin looking smiling at  
his way. When her eyes met his, the smile vanished and he was lost again.  
"Did you get breakfast?" she asked.  
"Yeah, err... no..."  
"Well, join me, will you?"  
Jin succeeded in nodding a yes.  
  
Julia checked her watch to ensure she had come in the right time and  
again she put her palms together, letting them drop among her legs, on  
where her elbows rested as she sat in a couch of the Mishima living room,  
one of them. She was anxious waiting on her own but Jin was known for being  
late. Yet the place was strange to her. The butler who opened the door to  
her was cold and impersonal, he directed her to this sitting room and left  
her alone. A chill surrounded her heart and she was excessively worried...  
Jin, what took you so long?  
She heard steady footsteps and sharply raised her head to look, only,  
to her disappointment, it wasn't Jin... it was his father instead. Kazuya  
Mishima, president and CEO of the Mishima Financial Empire, wearing an  
expensive suit and a lovely silky scarf around his neck. Immediately as he  
came into the room his eyes fell on her and there was curiosity.  
Julia felt her heart tied to a knot, not knowing how he was regarding  
her. Yet as he walked closer, she stood up to speak.  
"You must be~"  
"Hi, I'm Julia, I came to see Jin..." she jutted at the same time but  
once she finished her sentence, she found she had lost her voice, partially  
because she had interrupted him but mostly because the lack of any emotion  
other than inquisition on his face frightened her somehow.  
Twirling her fingers together, she kept looking at him. There was  
something breathtaking losing herself into his eyes. She didn't realise  
that even the tiny movement of her fingers had stopped or that her breath  
was lessened to almost nonexistent, so much a dizziness came to her and  
she'd rather collapse on her feet. Julia had never seen Jin's father from  
so close. She knew that Kazuya Mishima had dreadfully powerful stare but  
she didn't know he had such amazingly sparkling brown eyes.  
"Jin speaks a lot about you, Julia..." she heard him say and his voice  
was so very smooth and enthralling, his eyes were always piercing hers. She  
laughed nervously, using this event to breathe. Why was it so difficult  
this time?  
She stopped when she noticed that he just stared at her and swallowed,  
with difficulty, again.  
"He told me to... come..."  
Right then, Jin appeared through the door. He smiled at her and Julia  
was very much relieved to see him.  
"We're off, dad, don't wait us for lunch, okay?"  
"Have fun Jin," Kazuya only said. Julia embraced Jin and they walked  
to the door and for the rest of the day, she forgot about Kazuya and his  
eyes.  
  
At Sundays, Kazuya didn't work at all. He had decided to keep a few  
hours of the week entirely to himself and whatever pleased him. He spent  
the day with Nina, having lunch, going for a walk downtown, looking at shop  
windows, eating angel's hair whilst strolling in the park. He was calm and  
happy for once in his life and Nina was a pleasant companion.  
Yet he was in his private office that hour of the afternoon, with the  
lights off, just him and the shadows. Strange were the shadows when they  
held nothing fearsome... what should he be afraid of? Nothing he could   
think about. And yet he sought for those times of loneliness now and again.   
Then he was more in tune with himself. The mystery of nothingness... it   
was him. It reached for his soul. He liked it.  
He walked to the window of the office and gazed outside, through the  
faint image of his reflection in the glass. He had a reflection... and what  
did he see?  
A faceless man of empty eyes. But it didn't concern him. Like his soul  
was empty like it would forever be, perhaps. The sky darkening and the  
trees in his garden, his own garden. And... walking among the gardens, Jin  
and Julia. Julia...  
She looked happy, she smiled and her eyes twinkled with happiness. She  
was carefree and fresh with youth, she was beautiful... She reminded him of  
Jun in many ways, but Julia's beauty was more spicy compared to Jun's  
softness and she had spirit instead of Jun's mild character... Yet he  
remembered that longing in her eyes when they met that morning and when he  
saw Jin pulling her to an embrace, he felt his fists clenching with anger.  
He didn't see Nina standing at the door of his office or the surprise  
in her eyes when she realised what he was looking at.  
  
Julia smiled uncomfortably to Jin's pleading eyes.  
"Come on, say yes, please?" he asked her once again.  
"I don't know, Jin, I have to think about it..."  
"What's to think about staying for dinner? Come on, it'll be our  
pleasure!"  
"Jin I..." Julia giggled. "I don't know!"  
"Yes?"  
Jin looked at her with urging eyes.  
"Please... You're gonna make this a lot more interesting if you're  
here... or I'll be stuck with the olds again."  
Julia laughed freely this time and looked at him.  
"Okay..."  
  
Nina was anything but pleased to see Julia at dinner. Yet she  
swallowed her discontentment and managed to greet Julia politely. The young  
girl replied almost too gaily, a kind of behaviour Nina despised.  
'He cannot possibly like that girl... she's half his age!'  
Jin took Julia in the dining room by the waist.  
'Then again, every man has fantasies of younger girls...' she bitterly  
thought.  
Kazuya came shortly and smiled at her, faintly as always.  
'They call us British cool... what of that?' she thought at responding  
to that smile, wondering how genuine it was, as she took his arm and  
followed into the dining table.  
  
Jin sat between Nina and Julia. He felt more comfortably now that it  
wasn't just him, his father and Nina at the table. Nina, he was not as much  
afraid of her anymore but he avoided her. He feared that should he gaze too  
much at her...  
But he was his father's girlfriend. And he feared his father.  
He hardly knew the man who came to him once the Iron Fist tournament  
was over. He recognised him at glimpse and meeting him was one of the  
happiest moments of his life... He still remembered how he had walked at  
him with doubt and how his father pulled him in a firm embrace,  
protectively holding him in his arms, into his embrace where he cried tears  
of relief and joy. His mother hadn't been wrong. This man was capable of  
loving. He had loved her and he loved him. He was there for him when more  
than anything he wanted someone. For that alone, Jin was willing to get to  
know him. Besides, Kazuya, for all his distant behaviour, was always caring  
for Jin. The young man was convinced that one day he would come close to  
his father.  
He toyed with his food, glad that he had the chance to do so. With  
Julia as their guest, the attention of both his father and Nina was not too  
heavy on him. Julia was a pleasant change to the otherwise quiet dinners.  
His father and Nina were embarrassed for their relationship against him as  
it seemed so they hardly talked, he had nothing to say... and there was  
Julia, speaking happily, laughing and Jin was surprised to see his father  
smiling... only he wished that he and Julia wouldn't talk all so much and  
that he didn't look at her as though he was studying her. If he didn't know  
better he would assume...  
A strange feeling crept in his heart but he tried to push it away. He  
could not and he turned to his food, when he sensed someone staring at him.  
He looked up slightly. It was Nina and she seemed to tell him that she  
agreed with him on something.  
  
It was later that night when Julia was at her home. She dismounted   
Jin's bike and went forward to kiss him. Their lips met softly but then Jin  
pulled her closer and squeezed her in a passionate kiss. Julia was glad to  
take it and responded with similar intensity.  
Jin smoothed his palm on Julia's head but he didn't smile. He then  
turned the bike on and left Julia to go home.  
Right as he left, Julia no longer felt safe of that ghastly feeling  
that had possessed her earlier that day and when he was out of her view,  
she sighed with a sadness which she wished to get rid of but subconsciously  
she wanted to cultivate this sorrowful joy a little more...  
His eyes... those deep eyes forcing her to look... just look and lose  
herself into their darkness... she could just stare into his eyes forever  
and that thought made her body quiver with desire she wished to deny, but  
couldn't or rather... didn't want to... She no longer thought of Jin. It   
was Kazuya. Whether a fancy of the moment or not, the desire and need for   
his touch was dangerously strong growing fiercer with each breath she took.  
"Julia?"  
A chilling wave run through her at the sound of Xiaoyu's voice. She  
took a sharp breath and looked back.  
"Aren't you coming in?" Xiaoyu asked and Julia tilted her shoulders,  
walking inside as though she was hypnotised.  
  
Nina rolled to her side, drawing a breath. She wasn't exhausted this  
time. No, it wasn't good. It wasn't like some other times she remembered,  
when she lost her senses in the ecstasy. Kazuya laid next to her gazing up  
at the roof of their bed.  
"You weren't here," Nina said somewhat gruffly, as she turned to her  
side with support from her elbow. Kazuya looked towards her.  
"What do you mean I wasn't here? Where was I?"  
"You tell me."  
Kazuya was silently looking at her.  
"You weren't satisfied..." he concluded after a while.  
"It wasn't like the other times..." Nina confessed.  
He didn't seem concerned or anything. Nina knew this was him but  
suddenly she wished he'd show anything at all, perhaps regret or similar  
disappointment.  
"I'll go for a walk..." she said and slipped away.  
She found her robe and slid it on her arms. She looked towards Kazuya.  
He wasn't looking at her. Otherwise he was always eating her with his eyes.  
Tonight, he was not.  
Something bit her and she walked out of the room without saying  
anything.  
  
It seemed like it would be a long night. Jin sat in the front porch,  
enjoying the coldness of the night around him. A soft breeze blew in his  
bangs and slid fresh upon his face.  
"You awake?" he heard a deep feminine voice talking, apparently to him  
and he turned towards Nina. His rhythm rose to a heartbeat and a chill  
spread into his chest. Nina was wearing a silk robe, barely covering her  
knees and he knew she wasn't wearing anything beneath it. She walked closer  
with her hair done in a hasty bun, leaving soft strands escaping, making  
her more challenging to look at. He imagined her body warm from lovemaking  
with his father and yet, even with that repelling thought, he couldn't deny  
that his mouth went dry for her...  
"Yeah, I... I couldn't get to sleep," he said.  
Nina came next to him and leaned against the wall.  
"I thought you'd stay with your girl."  
"Well, not tonight."  
Nina was silent. Jin didn't know why he chose to talk.  
"It's cold," he said.  
He felt Nina look down at him. Her blue eyes emitted mean intentions  
but he chose to look at them this time.  
"I don't mind..." she said.  
"Oh."  
He stood up from where he sat, pacing about.  
"Want my jacket?" he then asked.  
"What about you?"  
Jin managed a smile as he started taking his jacket off.  
"That's what men are for..." he said.  
However, before he took the jacket off, Nina stopped him and walked  
closer.  
"That won't help..." she said.  
Jin stood without moving when Nina came before him and pulled the  
jacket up his shoulders again. Her hands moved slowly, her eyes were  
looking at his. Once the jacket was on him, she slid her hands down, along  
the edges and when she got to his waist... to his surprise, her hands went  
inside and she pulled herself close onto him.  
"Hold me..." she directed and pressed her jaw on his chest. Her hands  
tightened around him and Jin did as he was told.  
His hands gathered her slim body close onto his. Under the fine silk,  
he could read the details of her lovely figure. Onto his chest her full  
breasts pressed him, her nipples stabbed him. He felt aroused especially  
when Nina laid her head onto his chest, squeezing him much tighter. His  
eyes widened and he gulped in agony. What was he doing? This was his  
father's woman!  
Anxiety rising, he pulled away and tried to remove Nina's hands but he  
was shaking and her hold was strong. Nina looked up at him in question.  
"What's wrong?" she asked.  
"I..." Jin gulped. It was too obvious he was scared out of his mind.  
"I need to go."  
But Nina wouldn't let him, until he struggled some more. His hands  
were shaking so much however that unless Nina had loosened her hold, Jin  
wouldn't have been able to break free.  
Jin looked at Nina, twice as anxious as he normally was with her. He  
felt absolutely humiliated and he only wanted to vanish. He barely kept  
himself into walking inside the house instead of running.  
  
"You haven't eaten your breakfast."  
Indeed it was so and Jin only stared at his unfinished bowl of cereal.  
He had no will to face his father's eyes.  
"I'm not hungry," he said. He didn't look up but felt his father's  
knowing eyes on him.  
His mother, she would have put a gentle hand upon his shoulder and  
would ask him what was wrong... her soft voice would be there. But his  
father never asked. It wasn't that he didn't care, rather his way to show  
his support. Kazuya believed it was better not to intrude into his troubled  
mind... Sometimes it was for the best, sometimes not but the concern was  
ever there and Jin felt even more embarrassed to meet the stare of his  
father.  
"Fine. Don't be late for school," Kazuya said as he stood up from  
breakfast.  
"Kay..." Jin said half willingly.  
"Training as usual at six, all right?"  
"Yea..."  
Kazuya took his briefcase, checked his watch and walked to the door.  
Jin was relieved until he understood his father had stopped...  
"Goodbye, son..." he heard behind him. The sweat clogged him like  
sickening fever.  
  
'Last hour at school,' Julia thought. She held the book of history she  
was supposed to go through in her hands and squeezed it. She didn't realise  
she walked like drunk, until Hwoarang bumped onto her.  
"Hey, watch it!" he said and Julia gazed back at him absentmindedly.  
"Oh, sorry, I didn't see..."  
Hwoarang turned around with a wearied grimace and walked away.  
"...you..." Julia completed her phrase and still she stood gazing to  
where Hwoarang had left. She sighed.  
'My age... I should have been ogling at him... he is of my age... it  
shouldn't matter...'  
Her head bent and her lips were pressed on the rim made from the  
compressed pages of the book.  
'He's so much older than me... he...'  
Her head was burning from thoughts she dared not confront.  
'How much experience he must have!' a seditious thought captured her  
head and she struggled to extract it but the more she tried the harder it  
echoed. 'So much experience!' and she could only imagine his face, a sneer  
in his lips, his body...  
"Julia, come on!"  
She run blindly to the direction of that voice, just to do anything at  
all to keep her mind away.  
  
"Hey," Jin said as he caught up with Julia and walked in pace with  
her. She looked alarmed.  
"What's wrong? You didn't wait..."  
"I'm sorry, Jin," she stammered.  
"Hey, there's something bothering you?" Jin asked. He was sincerely  
worried.  
"No, I'm fine, listen... I have to go, hurry. I'm sorry, I don't have  
time to explain..."  
Jin stood gaping and couldn't follow. Julia stopped a few steps ahead.  
"Jin..." she uttered.  
"You're gonna call me?" he asked. He almost pleaded.  
Julia nodded feebly.  
"I'll call you..." she promised.  
But Jin had grown impatient very shortly and as soon as he reached  
home, he called Julia himself. He asked her to come over and study with  
him. Julia chewed it but in the end, she conceded.  
  
Kazuya was back from work by four fifteen and tired as can be after  
the long day. Nobody received him as he entered his home but he hardly  
cared for that. He wasn't in socialising moods at that exact time but  
hearing voices from the house's library, startled him.  
Feminine voices. A girl's giggle.  
Julia...  
He halted in his shoes and strained his ears. It was her definitely.  
Lead by a demanding need he walked to the door of the study room. It  
was half opened and he picked inside.  
Jin and Julia were there, studying. They had notebooks spread before  
them and they laughed as they talked together over their exercises.  
Silently like he came, he retreated and turned to walk away. But he  
was confronted by Nina. She stood there, strictly looking at him with her  
arms crossed under her chest.  
  
"You can go on pretending there's nothing wrong. But I saw you looking  
at her again."  
"She's just a girl," Kazuya said resting on the armchair.  
"I know what she is," Nina replied. "A girl you have your eyes on."  
Kazuya tilted his head towards her way.  
"I can't go on like this," Nina said, looking outside the window.  
She got no reply and that angered her.  
"Say something!" she whispered steaming.  
"Like what?"  
"Your silence is your undertaking," Nina said coldly, not looking at  
him.  
Kazuya let his head drop. Then, without notice he stood up and walked  
out of the room.  
Nina felt a rage beyond her grasp and that rage clogged her breath and  
her sobs alike.  
  
It was quarter to six and Julia was now alone in that house again. Jin  
said he was having his karate sessions and he couldn't miss out. Julia said  
farewell, since she too thought fit to go train, despite Jin insisting that  
she stayed and train with them. Last thing she wanted was to...  
Jin told her to stay over for dinner. No way she would. She gathered  
her books as fast as she could and Jin walked her outside. Halfway, he  
offered to take her home with his bike. Julia refused but he said it  
wouldn't be long, so he run back home to get the keys and Julia was alone  
now in front porch, waiting.  
"Julia..." she heard a voice behind her and she turned to it in a  
gasp. Him.... it was him...  
Julia felt losing the blood from her face and tightened the hold  
around her bag in her arms. Kazuya showed a faint evidence of surprise.  
"I startled you?" he questioned and Julia felt a frosty heartbeat that  
increased at seeing a nearly nonexistent smile stretching his lips... her  
breath became sharper in the drawing and heavier as it came out.  
"Jin... went... uhm, to... get... I..."  
What she saw this time was hundred percent positively a smile. She  
closed her eyes shut and fought against her own smiling. As she reopened  
her eyes though, he was still there and so was the smile.  
She stared at him hypnotised. He was looking back at her in a way no  
one else had done before. Studying her but not indirectly, he wasn't  
evaluating her but rather entreating her to give in...  
The next thing that happened, she shifted the hold of her backpack and  
it slipped through her hands, thudding onto the floor.  
She drew a gasp and brought her hands before her mouth, then her eyes  
fell on her fallen backpack and dropped at her knees to pick it up. A few   
books and pencils had fallen outside and she begun gathering them and   
suddenly... he was there, by her side, helping her...  
Julia stopped entirely baffled, avoiding to look at him. That close...  
so desperately close as they were... His chest seemed bigger, a haven she  
longed to bore into, his hand... A dangerous hand that was the hand of a  
hardened fighter but when it took hers, it was as soft and gentle as any  
prince's hand would be.  
Julia found her hand climbing onto his, permitting his support and she  
dared raise her eyes to meet his... She found them there. Right before her,  
staring right into hers with a deep firmness. She was trembling in agony,  
she found her lips shaking half open, his were a few breaths away... right  
there, right before her, waiting... Out of nervousness, she tightened the  
hold on his hand... it was there to support her...  
Only too late she noticed they were not alone. She looked beyond him  
and standing at the door was Jin... He had an expression of shock as he  
gazed at them, her especially...  
Kazuya too turned back to look at him. His hand slowly left hers and  
Julia felt like she was suddenly falling into an endless gap as Jin was  
only looking at her almost horrified and then, without a word he turned  
away and left inside the house.  
Julia stood up but halfway to running towards the door, she halted,  
unable to even think.  
In a hustle she went back to pick up her bag but found it right before  
her. She grasped it from Kazuya's hands, not even thanking him and run  
away, covering her guilty mouth.  
  
"Jin..."  
Standing before the closed door Kazuya got no response from inside.  
He wanted to speak to his son and comfort him. Excuse himself wasn't  
his intention for it was clear what he had intended to do and he didn't  
regret about it. But losing the love of his son was beyond him.  
He lifted his hand to knock once again but halted midway. Suddenly it  
occurred to him that perhaps Jin wouldn't want to see him right now and  
maybe it would be for the best to let it steam off... so he let his hand  
drop. Settling to think it was for the best, he turned away. It was time  
for his daily training and he wouldn't skip it.  
  
Xiaoyu found her friend curled up in her bed, embracing her pillow and  
biting her thumb. She instantly knew something was wrong...  
She knocked at the door and Julia looked briefly up at her.  
"Come in..." she said and again looked down.  
"What happened?" Xiaoyu asked.  
"Jin..." Julia muttered, her voice sounding coarse from crying.  
"We..."  
"You quarrelled?" Xiaoyu asked in concern and bent closer.  
"I think it's over!" Julia sobbed and hid into the pillow.  
"But why! That jerk! What did he do~"  
"It's not his fault!" Julia shouted at her and Xiaoyu silenced,  
looking startled at her. For a while she couldn't find what to say to her  
friend.  
"He saw me with... another..." Julia muttered again, burying her face  
in her arm.  
"Another?" Xiaoyu asked surprised. "You and... another guy?"  
Julia shut her eyes.  
"And not just anyone..." she whispered in effort. She burned with   
shame but wanted desperately to get this out of herself. "His father..."  
"Julia?!?" she heard after a while. She meagrely smiled.  
"But he's so much older than you! He is Jin's father!" Xiaoyu said  
horrified.  
"You think I haven't thought about it?" Julia said in distress,  
looking with red eyes over at Xiaoyu.  
"He... kissed you?" Xiaoyu asked, looking appalled.  
"No..." Julia said weakly. "Not even..."  
Xiaoyu stared unbelieving at her friend and Julia only smiled in  
compassion.  
"You don't understand Xiaoyu... you cannot understand..."  
"Julia... he's too old for you!" Xiaoyu insisted but Julia sighed in  
longing.  
"I know... I shouldn't be thinking of him the way that I do... but  
Xiaoyu... I looked into his eyes... I made that mistake..." she said and  
bowed her head as if it weighted by a heavy affliction.  
"I looked into his eyes... and I'm telling you, I had no will, no  
strength to look away.... you don't wanna do that... you don't want to look   
into his eyes... you don't..." she said and shook deliriously as she spoke.  
She couldn't see Xiaoyu's concerned face as she sank deep into her  
thoughts.  
"And about Jin?" Xiaoyu asked.  
"I... I don't know... I'll talk to him tomorrow... I'll explain to  
him..." Julia muttered. But she sounded hardly convincing.  
  
It was harder than Julia had expected. Jin avoided talking to her all  
hours at school the next day. Deciding there was no other way, she  
concluded to go to his house and speak to him there. It was around three  
that she went there. She knew she wouldn't meet anyone other than Jin at  
this hour...  
  
Kazuya had chosen to return earlier at home that day. Last evening he  
and Jin didn't talk and he wanted to settle things with him. He left his  
office and reached home. Jin would be back from school by then and he  
wanted to talk to him.  
He went inside and left his briefcase on the floor. He walked up to  
Jin's room but he wasn't there. Voices told him where he was but these were  
angry voices, at least one of them was. It accused while the other pleaded.  
It was a young feminine voice who tried to reason. Jin was frustrated. He  
sounded hurt and how couldn't he be?  
Kazuya walked quietly to reach one of the gardens where Jin and Julia  
were there... arguing. She asked him for something for the last time,  
covering her face but he rejected it, he shook his hand and strode away  
from her. Silly boy... he took it so badly?  
Julia didn't follow him. She remained where she stood, only she put  
both hands upon her face and dissolved into tears behind her fingers. He  
watched her, blindly reaching for the porch and lowering herself onto it,  
she sat and bitterly cried...  
He came out silently and Julia didn't even notice.  
  
With a broken heart she sobbed, knowing that if there was anyone  
there, she would be heard but she didn't care. There was nobody there... or  
maybe...  
She didn't skip when a hand kindly came over her palm and took it,  
removing it. She didn't care to resist as she merely sobbed.  
"Shhh... It's okay. Don't cry..." the gentle, deep voice told her and  
she sobbed one last time, willing to follow it.  
Her hand was given to another and a tender finger swept her tears. He  
came closer and pulled her from the waist into a comforting embrace. Julia  
gladly allowed herself to lean onto him and rest upon his shoulder.  
His hand swept her face over and over, until her breath was steadied.  
Julia thought she could just sink into his warmth and forget the whole  
world around her. His hand lifted her face from the chin and she looked up  
at him trustingly... He had that assertive look again and he looked so  
protective...  
He bent over and his lips touched lightly upon her forehead. Julia  
closed her eyes in blissful tears. Her small hand clenched his fine shirt  
and the warmth encircling him increased as he pulled her up to indulge her  
in a full, emotional kiss.  
Julia thought she would faint and lose her mind into that kiss that  
sucked her entire being. She willingly gave all of herself to it, allowing  
it to drive her insane. Like she had imagined, kissing him was simply  
marvellous.  
"I don't want you to cry, Julia...." he softly told her, still very  
near. But all she could think of was his fiery breath and that warm impact  
of his loving flesh onto her. She feebly nodded yes, trembling in his arms  
as he bent again to lightly kiss her cheeks.  
  
'Why?' Jin thought. He snuffed his nose once but still, no answer. He  
could have just forgiven her, what was he trying to prove? But something  
inside of him rebelled. This wasn't love... love was supposed to be  
perfect, just like his father and his mother... or wasn't it? His father  
already dated another woman, deal, so many years had passed, but the thing  
is, his father, this same father was only yesterday flirting with his  
girl... and he was not blind or naive to know that there was desire in her  
eyes...  
He sighed deep within his chest and then he noticed that Nina had  
walked into the room, towards him...  
"You don't look happy..." she said.  
"Good guess, you should be predicting the weather," he said but  
immediately regretted it.  
"I'm not a smartass, Jin, I never was," Nina protested. Jin only  
lowered his head.  
"I'm sorry..."  
"No big. Things haven't been too good for me, either."  
Jin laughed halfheartedly. Nina... only yesterday he had refused her  
and now...  
He looked over at her. She had the same look of understanding in her  
face that he remembered a couple of days ago, when in the dining table his  
father and Julia...  
Had he been so blind?  
"It's all right, Jin... I know what you're thinking..." Nina assured.  
"Do you."  
Nina tilted her shoulders.  
"Yes..."  
A tired laughter escaped his sealed lips once again.  
"I don't know about you, Jin... But I don't want to spend the rest of  
my life mourning over what I have lost and things that could be..."  
Jin looked down at her.  
"I know..."  
"I'm not as young as you... but I am twice as eager to make the best  
out of life..."  
Having said that, she came closer to him. She threw her arms around  
him and this time Jin didn't stop her. He allowed her to kiss him and let  
the moment be dragged into that sensuous kiss.  
  
Two days later, Kazuya fixed his jacket. He did look good, he reckoned  
and he was looking forward to the night. He paced for a little, waiting for  
the time to come, when then the door opened and Jin walked in...  
He was dressed in a pair of leather trousers and a matching jacket,  
looking particularly good. His hair shone and he had a fine scent of  
cologne. When he came into the room and saw his father he paused,  
undecided.  
Kazuya stopped too, looking at him. Over the past two days, they had  
hardly talked. Even in training, the fighting had become fiercer but that  
secret communication wasn't there anymore.  
"Going out?" Kazuya asked.  
Jin feebly nodded a couple of times.  
"You too..."  
Kazuya's momentary smile came up.  
"Well... have fun..."  
It seemed like all had been said and yet Jin didn't go away yet.  
"Say..."  
Kazuya didn't speak, waiting for Jin to talk.  
"I said a few things I didn't mean... I wish... I could have taken  
them back..."  
"I'll let her know..." Kazuya said. Jin looked up at him in hope.  
"You know, father... about... Nina..."  
"It's all understood, son," Kazuya assured him. A smile had tinted his  
lips and Jin looked back at it with another smile.  
"No hard feelings..." he said. Kazuya shook his head, smiling.  
"No hard feelings, son..."  
Jin's face beamed and next, he rushed onto his father and fell in his  
embrace. Kazuya hugged him back firmly. Man to man, father to son, of the  
same blood. Together.  
Jin pulled away, always smiling.  
"Go, son..." Kazuya said. "Be the man..."  
The same hand that had held him to a brotherly embrace, turned fast  
into a backfist to his face. But Jin moved well out of the way and went  
into a fighting stance. Kazuya smiled, looking pleased.  
"Always, son..."  
A gentle smile was on Jin's face. And then, surprisingly fast he threw  
a punch onto Kazuya. The fist halted only a whiff before his father's face,  
who stared at it surprised.  
"Same to you, dad..." Jin smiled. He pulled back, always smiling.  
"Get out!" Kazuya laughed, shaking his hand to show him to the door.  
Jin turned around but before leaving, he stopped.  
"You know something, dad?"  
Kazuya didn't say anything this time either. But he smiled, waiting.  
Jin spoke.  
"You're cool..."  
And then he left.  
  
Staring outside the window, Kazuya smiled by himself...  
Cool... no one ever called him that before... his son thought he was  
cool...  
He felt that things were getting better already.  
  
Jin started the bike and Nina went up. She sat securely and leaned  
against him. Dressed in a leather jacket herself and a black mini skirt,  
she surely was matching to Jin.  
"So, where for?" Jin asked.  
"Anywhere. Your pick."  
"Kay... I know a place or two..." Jin said as he put short leather  
gloves on.  
"My, you're taking this seriously!" Nina noticed in amusement.  
"Always," Jin said as he fixed his second glove.  
Nina admired his beautiful face and noticed that when he smiled, a  
dimple appeared on his cheeks and another small one behind his jaw...  
Kazuya had one similar when he smiled. She pointed her index right into  
this little one, which coincided with the nerve on that area and Jin  
giggled.  
"You make a cute dimple when you smile..." Nina said dreamily.  
As if to please her, he smiled again and softly blushed. Nina came  
closer and they kissed once. Then Jin turned ahead and the bike went off  
for the beginning of the night.  
  
As the limo stopped outside the house, Julia got up in a leap. She  
took a last glance at herself in the mirror. She looked really classy.  
"Okay girls, I'm gone!" she said.  
Xiaoyu still didn't approve of it but smiled at her friend as she  
waved goodbye.  
  
Once outside, Kazuya was there. She smiled at him as he went to open  
the door for her.  
Before getting in however she stopped. She smiled nervously.  
"What?"  
"See, I..." she started.  
Kazuya silently waited for her to talk.  
"You may find this strange but... I don't feel comfortable with it..."  
She looked at him. He was waiting to hear her.  
"I mean... could we just walk or something? Besides... I feel like a  
walk..."  
He didn't speak for a while. But then his face looked agreeing.  
"You want to walk... then a walk it is," he said and he looked  
pleasant. Julia couldn't resist a smile.  
Kazuya closed the door and told the driver to go home. The limo left  
and they were alone in the street.  
Julia smiled as he offered her his arm. She took it and leaned onto  
him, walking by his side. She felt happy and content when with him and her  
hand resting on his arm was covered by his palm. It was the beginning of a  
lovely night.  
  
-- The End --  
  
It took me half a day to finish... I feel so glad! ^_^  
  
"insomnia is cool for a day or two. then it gets a bugger. and then a  
habit."  



End file.
